Guess who was surprised that Amaya “Papaya” Espinal showed up to her Popsugar cover shoot with a strong opinion about what she should wear? Absolutely no one. If you watched her season of “Love Island USA,” then you know our Feel-Good Person of the Year is certainly not afraid to express herself, and is strongly dedicated to doing so.
[Espinal] balances both her power and influence artfully, and the clothes are merely a vehicle to drive the point home.
Espinal effortlessly brought every look to life, working with makeup artist Thynna Wagenblast and stylist Jason Rembert (who dressed her in blush pink for the season seven reunion) with market pulled from our own style team including Jessica Andrews, Naomi Parris, and myself. Espinal plucked two Lapointe gowns from the rack that she fell in love with immediately, as well as a tweed Chanel cutout mini that fell right in line with her exuberant personality. But it’s not just about knowing her personal style; it’s the way she slipped into character for every pose (which she told us all she’d been practicing, nay, perfecting in front of the mirror in anticipation for shoot day).
Successfully carrying out a different vision for each look, Espinal shows that she has a firm grasp on who she is, and she’s not afraid to take control. She balances both her power and influence artfully, and the clothes are merely a vehicle to drive the point home. From the playful, don’t-mess-with-me vibes she displayed in vintage pink Chanel with peach blush and eyeshadow to the regal nature she emitted in Lapointe’s luxurious satin and feathers, Espinal used her wardrobe to skillfully showcase every side of herself.
Of course, we know these photos spark major closet envy so we broke down her outfits for you ahead, and offered budget-friendly options for every article of clothing she wore.
